By Ismail Azeez
The political atmosphere in Osun State has reached a fever pitch as the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke engage in a war of words ahead of the state’s gubernatorial election, now slated for August 8, 2026.
The Osun State chapter of the APC has formally declared that Governor Adeleke is unfit for a second term, citing a range of grievances spanning from educational qualifications to financial management.
In a statement signed by Kola Olabisi, the party’s Director of Media and Information, the APC alleged that the Governor’s academic credentials remain a point of public contention and argued that his administration has been marked by “financial recklessness.”
Olabisi further accused the government of operational opacity, claiming that major developmental projects and their associated costs are handled exclusively by members of the Adeleke family.
The opposition party also criticized the Governor’s frequent public displays, describing them as unbecoming of the office, and condemned the ongoing state of the Assembly Complex, which has left lawmakers operating from hotels.
Furthermore, the APC reiterated its condemnation of the recent teachers’ recruitment exercise, characterizing it as a “millennium sham” designed to favor Ede natives and political loyalists at the expense of other local government areas.
The spokesperson to the Governor, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, dismissed the APC’s claims as a manifestation of a “depressive political quagmire” caused by the party’s declining popularity.
He asserted that the Governor’s qualification is a settled matter, validated by both the judiciary and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Rasheed defended the Governor’s track record, listing what he described as 20 cogent reasons for his re-election. These include:
The construction of approximately 350 kilometers of roads, the development of three major flyover bridges, and the reconstruction of collapsed bridges in Iwo, Ile-Ife, and Gbongan.
The digitization of tax and revenue collection systems and a reported 40 percent reduction in the state’s debt stock.
The implementation of a new minimum wage, the payment of inherited pension arrears, and the revitalization of the Osun State University, which recently secured full medical accreditation.
Initiatives such as the Imole Medical outreach and support for agricultural cooperatives and community development associations.
The spokesperson emphasized that the administration operates under a “world-class five-point agenda” with the people at the center of its development strategies.
He further mocked the APC’s governorship candidate, suggesting that the party is struggling with a lack of credible manifestos and the baggage of its past performance.
As the August election approaches, both parties remain deeply entrenched in their positions, with the APC focusing on transparency and governance standards, while the Adeleke administration anchors its campaign on a platform of infrastructure delivery and welfare-based development.
